A Mushi Apprentice
by Angelovergirl
Summary: An apprentice for Ginko? You never know...


So...finally got one of my stories up(: Excited about this one because I've really fallen in love with Mushishi even if it isn't a wicked popular show...and I love Ginko-He's especially cool just because Travis Willingham voices him in the series...love that deep voice. So anyways, enjoy, read! and please review...I liked to know if it's good or not(:

-Angelovergirl~

Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Mushshi or Ginko. But I do own Rika-Chan~

-A Mushi Apprentice-

Sunlight streamed through the thinning forest. He was close now. The thin animal trail he was following finally left the dense forest which opened up into a vast, green, rice field. Yet on the other side of the rice field...was another forest. Ginko exhaled a cloud of smoke. Damn his luck. Why did he always have to travel through forests? Mushi followed him like clouds every time he entered one. Ginko kicked around a stick. Whatever mushi decided to follow him, he would brush them aside, and some way, some how he was getting to this *_Kaze_ village. There weren't any mushi epidemics at this _Kaze_ village, but there was food. Food his stomach longed to eat-nuts and berries were on the borderline to nothing and herbs were always bitter. Ginko picked his way carefully through the rice fields as he trudged on ward to the _Kaze_ village, where food wasn't the only thing he'd find...

*Kaze-Wind in Japanese

~o0o~

With every ounce of strength Rika could muster into her thin arms, she tugged the rugged rope towards her, slowly, until she could see a now full bucket of water emerging from the depths of the well. She gave one final tug before tying the rope around a pole and retrieving the bucket. Behind her squeals of the village children echoed off the rock walls that surrounded them. They were dipping their tiny toes into the freezing water at the base of the waterfall. Rika checked once more to make sure her buckets wouldn't tip before she joined the ecstatic children.

As she walked over to them, she noticed their squeals had died down, and a familiar group of young boys surrounded a wide-eyed little girl. Rika couldn't hear their whispers, but she had a good idea about the topic they were discussing. She rolled her eyes. Mushi. It's all the little ones talked about. Their mothers told them no such things existed, but the children ignored them and came up with their own wild ideas about these mushi. Rika slowed to hear them.

"Mushi aren't real are they? My momma says-"

"Of course they're real!" A little boy inched closer to the frightened little girl who had spoken up. "Mushi are these terrible monsters, with thousands of crawly legs and giant sharp teeth that rip open your skin so they can EAT YOU!"

The girl whimpered, tears beginning to from in her eyes. Rika charged forward into their little group, breaking up their huddle. All of them squealed at one. No doubt jumpy from the Mushi story. Rika fixed a glare on the culprit.

"Kenji! What have I told you about scaring the wits out of everyone?"

Kenji gulped. "You told me...not to do it? His fingers intertwined nervously, his eyes quaking with fear.

Rika's gaze softened, and she spoke in a gentler tone. "That's right." She sighed. "I don't want to ruin your fun, but no-more-Mushi talk, understand? Your mothers don't want you having nightmares."

Kenji and the rest of the children nodded silently. Momo, the frightened girl from earlier walked over and hugged Rika's knees, her violet eyes glittering.

"They're not real, rwight Rwika-chaann?"

Rika ruffled the little girl's hair and smiled. "Of course not." She gave Momo's head a little pet, then glanced at the children.

"We should all be on our way home now. Suppertime will be soon."

The children's eyes lit up, and all of them scrambled up and took off toward the trail home. Rika giggled at their eagerness. She grabbed her buckets of water and took off after them-slowly of course. Good drinking water wasn't to be wasted. Rika hummed lightly, her sandals shuffled loudly on the dirt path beneath her. So she _should _have heard the stranger following behind her.

"No such thing as Mushi, huh?"

Rika gasped in surprise, whirling around to see her follower. The buckets in her hands dropped with a "_Thunk!"_, the water pooling at her feet. Words she wanted to say fell silently off her lips as she gazed at this peculiar stranger...

His white hair was the first thing she noticed; until her eyes drifted to his turquoise eyes. He was young, in his twenty's probably, maybe thirty. A chiseled face, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He was an average height and broad. Rika watched as he released a cloud of smoke from the cigarette that had been on his pale lips, moments before. He watched her amusingly before speaking to her again.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help but notice that you seem to be...at loss for words should we say?"

His deep voice sent shivers down her back, in a strange, delightful way, snapping her out of her trance. Rika quickly cleared her throat, trying to regain her confidence and the precious time she'd just wasted _staring_ at him.

"Deeply sorry Sir-I was just, um, shocked to find you behind me. I didn't even hear you." Rika finally regained her composure, her hands automatically finding a place on her hips. "Do you often go sneak around, scaring women for the joy of it?"

He chuckled. "Joy isn't a common emotion for someone like myself. But, I'll take your advice and go about scaring women more often."

Rika opened her mouth, but closed it quickly. She hadn't prepared for a response like that. Finally finding the right words, she shot back _her_ response.

"You're a traveler I'm guessing, correct? You must have heard we have quite the abundant village here, and we are I assure you. You'll need food and a place for the night. My family _usually_ lends a room to travelers-but seeing as how caused me to spill all this water and then amuse yourself by teasing me-you might just be spending the night in the Tsuiko's family chicken coop. I'm sure you can make do with that."

Rika breathed in deeply, satisfied with herself. She smiled smugly at him.

The stranger just lifted an eyebrow. Then a small smile began to tug at the corners of his mouth. He put the cigarette back in his mouth and spoke.

"Hmm, a chicken coop you say? You're pretty rough on the newcomers around here." He paused. "I apologize for giving you a fright; I'll do you a favor and fill those buckets with water again. In return you can carry my medicine box, let me stay in your home, and _of course _you'll feed me. Sound like a deal?"

He grinned at her. She fought back the urge to roll her eyes. Men. "I suppose it's a deal. But you're carrying the water _back_ to the village as well. I'll carry your medicine box-depending on how heavy it is."

He raised an eyebrow again. She sighed in defeat. "All right, I'll carry your box."

The stranger started shrugging off his medicine box, or whatever it was. "It's a deal then." He handed her his pack. She tried to take it from him but he wouldn't let go. Annoyed, she looked at him-and realized he was looking right at her. Something flashed in those turquoise eyes.

"I'm Ginko, and you?"

Rika tried to remember how to breathe properly.

"I'm Rika."

~o0o~

Ginko easily filled the two buckets, little effort was required. But he guessed that if you had a small bone structure like Miss Rika standing next to him, this work was tiring. Ginko glanced at Rika, watching her as she sat down by the waterfall and dipped her feet in. He walked over and joined her. The cold water felt good on his tired feet.

"Do you have a last name I could call you by?" He asked. "I feel a little too formal calling a young lady by her first."

Rika smiled. "It's Kawaga. Personally I'd rather say Rika, if I was you." She blushed.

He tired it out. "Miss Kawaga...I don't see what's so bad." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "But if you prefer Rika..."

Ginko trailed of and just watched. Her side profile was only visible. Tiny nose, rosy lips, smooth round cheeks. Long eyelashes that hid large, dark hazel eyes. The wind picked up and the willow trees swayed. Pieces of Rika's hair fell out of her bun and whipped around her face. Pink blossoms were swirling in the air everywhere. His eyes widened a little. Little, glowing mushi wiggled in the breeze. He recognized them as harmless; but what surprised him was Rika. Her eyes lit up and she raised her hand up slowly before trapping the tiny mushi in her palm. She could see mushi? Ginko's eyes softened.

"Miss Rika?"

The small girl jumped at the sound of his voice. "Yes?" she squeaked.

"You told the children there's no such thing as mushi, but do you actually believe that?"

Rika saw his eyes searching through hers, looking for a crack in the armor. But she refused to let him know her little secret. She hardened her face but forced a smile to reassure him.

"They're not real. The whole idea is silly."

Rika quickly stood up, and carefully, hoping Ginko wouldn't notice, she released the tiny mushi.

"We should head back to my village and get you a room and a meal." She brushed off imaginary specks on her kimono.

She hastily picked up Ginko's medicine box and started of towards home.

Ginko watched her speed off. Guess he had ventured too far in questioning. He scrambled up and grabbed the water and his shoes.

"Miss Kawaga! Wait up!"

As Ginko ran after her, he was only thinking one thing- "_Damn is my back going to hurt after this..."_


End file.
